Bengali consonant clusters

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Consonant clusters in Bengali are very common word-initially and elsewhere due to a long history of borrowing from Sanskrit, a language with a large cluster inventory. A substantial number of non-initial clusters have also been borrowed from Persian. Some words borrowed from European languages also have the same features as those from the former two. A handful of words from non-standard dialects of Bengali include native clusters.

Contents

List of all Bengali consonant conjuncts. Bangla consonant conjuncts.svg
List of all Bengali consonant conjuncts.

Syllable-initial clusters

Native Bengali (তদ্ভব tôdbhôbo) words do not contain initial consonant clusters; [1] the maximum syllabic structure is CVC (i.e. one vowel flanked by a consonant on each side). Many speakers of Bengali restrict their phonology to this pattern, even when using Sanskrit or English borrowings, such as গেরাম geram (CV.CVC) for গ্রাম gram (CCVC) "village" or ইস্কুল iskul (VC.CVC) for স্কুল skul (CCVC) "school".

Sanskrit (তৎসম tôtshômo) words borrowed into Bengali, however, possess a wide range of clusters, expanding the maximum syllable structure to CCCVC. Some of these clusters, such as the mr in মৃত্যু mrittu "death" or the sp in স্পষ্ট spôshṭo "clear", have become extremely common, and can be considered legal consonant clusters in Bengali.

English and other foreign (বিদেশী bideshi) borrowings add even more cluster types into the Bengali inventory, further increasing the syllable capacity to CCCVCCCC,[ citation needed ] as commonly used loanwords such as ট্রেন ṭren "train" and গ্লাস glash "glass" are now even included in leading Bengali dictionaries.

Initial Clusters
ClusterSource language(s)Example(s) in
orthography
Example(s) in
transliteration
Translation
krSanskrit
English
কৃমি
ক্রিকেট
krimi
krikeṭ
worm
cricket (sport)
klSanskrit
English
ক্লান্তি
ক্লাস
klanti
klash
fatigue
class
khrGreek (via English)খ্রিস্টানkhrishṭanChristian
grSanskrit
English
গ্রাম
গ্রিক
gram
grik
village
Greek
glSanskrit
English
গ্লানি
গ্লাস
glani
glash
sorrow
glass
ṭrEnglishট্রেনṭrentrain
ḍrEnglishড্রাইভারḍraibhardriver
trSanskritত্রিশtrishthirty
thrEnglishথ্রুthruthrough
drSanskritদৃশ্যdrishshoview
dhrSanskritধ্রুবতারাdhrubotaraNorth star
nrSanskritনৃতত্ত্বnritôttoanthropology
prSanskrit
English
প্রশ্ন
প্রেশার
proshno
preshar
question
pressure
plSanskrit
English
প্লাবন
প্লেন
plabon
plen
flood
plane
frEnglishফ্রান্সfransFrance
flEnglishফ্লাইটflaiṭflight
brSanskrit
English
বৃষ্টি
ব্রাশ
brishṭi
brash
rain
brush
blEnglishব্লাউজblaujblouse
bhrSanskritভ্রুbhrubrow
mrSanskritমৃত্যুmrittudeath
mlSanskritম্লানmlanmelancholy
skSanskrit
English
স্কন্ধ
স্কুল
skôndho
skul
shoulder
school
skrEnglishস্ক্রুskruscrew
skhSanskritস্খলনskhôlonslip
sṭEnglishস্টেশনsṭeshonstation
sṭrEnglishস্ট্রেটsṭreṭstraight
stSanskritস্তম্ভstômbhotower
strSanskritস্ত্রীstriWife
sthSanskritস্থানীয়sthaniolocal
snSanskrit
English
স্নান
স্নো
snan
sno
bath
snow
spSanskrit
English
স্পষ্ট
স্পেশাল
spôshṭo
speshal
clear
special
sprSanskrit
English
স্পৃহা
স্প্রিং
spriha
spring
desire
spring (coil)
sfSanskritস্ফূর্তিsfurtidelight
smEnglishস্মার্টsmarṭsmart (good-looking)
srSanskritশ্রমিকsromiklaborer
slSanskrit
English
শ্লীলতা
স্লোগান
slilota
slogan

(protest) chant (<slogan)
hrSanskritহৃদয়hridôeheart
hlSanskritহ্লাদিনীhladini

Syllable-final clusters

Final consonant clusters are rare in Bengali. [2] Most final consonant clusters were borrowed into Bengali from English, as in লিফ্‌ট lifṭ "lift, elevator" and ব্যাংক bêngk "bank". However, final clusters do exist in some native Bengali words, although rarely in standard pronunciation. One example of a final cluster in a standard Bengali word would be গঞ্জ gônj, which is found in names of hundreds of cities and towns across Bengal, including নবাবগঞ্জ Nôbabgônj and মানিকগঞ্জ Manikgônj. Some nonstandard varieties of Bengali make use of final clusters quite often. For example, in some Purbo (eastern) dialects, final consonant clusters consisting of a nasal and its corresponding oral stop are common, as in চান্দ chand "moon". The Standard Bengali equivalent of chand would be চাঁদ chãd, with a nasalized vowel instead of the final cluster.

Final Clusters
ClusterSource language(s)Example(s) in
orthography
Example(s) in
transliteration
Translation
kṭEnglish
ktPersianওয়াক্তoaktMuslim prayer time
kfPersianওয়াক্‌ফoakf waqf
kshPersian
ksEnglishট্যাক্সṭêkstax
ngkEnglishব্যাংকbêngkbank
nchEnglishলঞ্চlônchsteamboat (<launch)
njdialectalগঞ্জgônjmarketplace
nṭEnglishপ্যান্টpênṭpants
nḍEnglishপাউন্ডpaunḍpound
nddialectalচান্দchandmoon
ndhdialectalকান্ধkandhshoulder
nsPersian
English

চান্স

chans

chance
fṭEnglishলিফ্‌টlifṭelevator/lift
fsPersianনাফ্‌সnafsself
mpEnglishল্যাম্পlêmplamp
rkPersian
English

পার্ক

park

park
rchEnglishটর্চṭôrchtorch
rjEnglishলাঠি-চার্জlaṭhi-charjbaton-charge
rṭEnglishশার্টsharṭshirt
rḍEnglishবোর্ডborḍ(administrative) board
rthEnglish
rdPersianফর্দfôrdinventory sheet
rnEnglishহর্নhôrn(car) horn
rpEnglishশার্পsharpsharp
rbEnglish
rbhEnglishনার্ভnarbh/narvnerve
rmEnglishফর্মfôrmform
rlEnglishকার্লkarlcurl
rsEnglishনার্সnarsnurse
rsṭEnglishফার্স্টfarsṭfirst
rshPersian
lṭEnglishবেল্টbelṭbelt
skEnglishরিস্কriskrisk
sṭEnglishলাস্টlasṭlast
stPersianদোস্তdostfriend
shtPersianগোশ্তgoshtmeat

Notes

  1. ( Masica 1991 , pp. 125)
  2. ( Masica 1991 , pp. 126)

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